According to officials, the leaked documents are in a format similar to those issued to senior leaders, and some may have been altered….reports Asian Lite News
The US Defence Department has labelled the leak of classified Pentagon documents as a grave threat to national security, following reports that they contain sensitive information regarding the war in Ukraine, as well as details about China and US allies.
Speaking to reporters, a high-ranking Pentagon official said the documents were “a very serious risk to national security and have the potential to spread disinformation”.
“We’re still investigating how this happened, as well as the scope of the issue,” said Chris Meagher, the assistant to the secretary of defence for public affairs.
According to officials, the leaked documents are in a format similar to those issued to senior leaders, and some may have been altered.
The files first surfaced on online platforms like Twitter, 4chan and Telegram, and a Discord server for the video game Minecraft.
Among the leaked documents are highly detailed information about the war in Ukraine, as well as sensitive briefing materials on US allies. CNN has reported that Ukraine has already modified some of its military plans due to the leak.
The documents also cover defence and security issues in the Middle East and Indo-Pacific regions.
An investigation is underway to determine the source of the leak, and the Pentagon is reviewing its process for granting access to sensitive documents.
Many of the documents are no longer available on the sites where they first appeared, and the US is reportedly continuing to work to have them removed.
Chris Meagher said US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin was not initially briefed on the issue until the morning of April 6 – the day a New York Times story on the documents was published, it was reported.
Meanwhile, Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the US National Security Council John Kirby told reporters that President Joe Biden was briefed on the leak “late last week,” but did not provide a specific date.
Many of the documents relate to Ukraine, such as one that provides information on the country’s air defenses or another on international efforts to build up its military forces, it was reported.